Van Gogh Repetitions

Van Gogh Repititions, a new exhibit at Washington DC's Phillips Collection, is the first of its kind to focus on the Post-Impressionist's use of one subject to create multiple pieces. The exhibition provides a close look at Vincent Van Gogh's best-known works, "to examine how and why he repeated certain compositions during his 10-year career," according to the museum. Some of these paintings, such as the 1889 Portrait of Camille Roulin, or his 1889 painting The Road Menders, were produced in multiple forms -- from sketches to paintings -- in numerous hues before becoming the celebrated images the world knows today. The term “repetitions" was coined by the artist himself to "describe his practice of creating more than one version of a particular subject. Back in the studio, he would repeat the subject, reworking and refining his idea on a fresh canvas, in some cases many times, to extract the essence of a motif." Similarly, the show highlights Van Gogh's use of "repeating" pieces from other artists, such as Paul Gaugin. Van Gogh Repititions, which features 35 paintings -- from portraits to landscapes -- and 13 images of repetitions, is on display from October 12 through January 26, 2014.